How To Get Your Indie Game Noticed By The Press

Just having a good game is not enough nowadays. With a booming and crowded industry, you need to have something that makes you stand out of the crowd. You absolutely must get your game to the press if you want to succeed, and we’ve created a few tips to help you down the right path.

TELL AN INTERESTING STORY

With many AAA games coming out, gaming magazines and websites simply do not have the time to cover all indies, so if you want to stand out, the best way of actually doing that is to make an interesting story about your game which is short but comprehensive. You need to show why they should cover your game, and what features set your game apart from the myriad of me-too indie games already out there in the market. Remember, no journalist wants to cover yet another clone.

TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE

There are way too many gaming sites, so if you want the proper media coverage, you need to access the right sources to do that. Each gaming website tends to focus on different genres nowadays, so try to find the one that caters to the genre of your game and send it there, as this will increase the chances for your game to receive coverage.

GET TO THE POINT

You love the game you created and can talk hours about it, but let’s face it, if you want to have the best outcome, you need to say more in less time. Bring out the exciting stuff first and spark interest with the help of your game’s stellar features, as this would help you get the results you seek. When it comes to the pitch, don’t bore journalists with an overly long history of your game world. Instead, focus on emphasizing key selling points that they might be interested in.

LAUNCH AT THE RIGHT TIME

Alongside the best content, you also need to time it right. Some months are more filled with AAA game launches, such as November for example, so you need to see what big games are appearing in that period of time and avoid them, instead try to get press coverage either earlier or before them. Journalists usually will want to keep up with the latest releases, and so your tiny indie release has much more chance of slipping under the radar.

PROVIDE A FREE REVIEW COPY

If you want coverage, then ensure that the press persons actually have a way to cover your game. A good way of doing that is to provide at least a demo, if not a key for your game, as this will allow them to get a hands-on experience which has a lot of value. If your outreach email doesn’t contain a way to download the game, chances are, it’s going right into the bin.

BE ULTRA RESPONSIVE

Press people might have questions for you about your game, so make sure that you respond to their questions promptly. This will help get your press coverage faster, even if it might catch you at a bad time. No one likes waiting too long to get a reply back. If you find yourself too swamped with emails, a short email back will suffice.

POLISH, POLISH, POLISH

Of course, at the core of it all, you just have to make a great game, because in the end this is all that matters. A good game will have a much better shot at press coverage and recognition, so it’s crucial to ensure the quality of your game is top notch. Try not to cut corners, and instead devote at least a good three to six months minimum to polish it before releasing into the wild. Make sure that you create a great game and pitch it properly. Rest assured, the results are well worth the effort!

Well, there you have it! Please be sure to share this article if you enjoyed the read!